Resistance of hybrids and elite tomato lines, developed through interspecific crosses between <i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> and <i>Solanum pennellii</i> , to major arthropod pests

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the resistance of advanced tomato genotypes resulting from an interspecific cross between <i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> and <i>Solanum pennellii</i> to <i>Tetranychus urticae</i> and <i>Phthorimaea absoluta</i>. The plant materials included nine lines, 14 hybrids, Leblon F₁ (commercial control), and the wild accession <i>S. pennellii</i> LA716 as a resistance standard. Acylsugar content was then determined. For mite bioassays, oviposition, adult mortality/survival, egg hatching, and nymphs were evaluated using a no-choice bioassay. For <i>P. absoluta</i> bioassays, the oviposition, intensity of damage, type of lesions, and percentage of damaged leaflets were evaluated. F₁ (TOM-808 × BPX-443E-03-02-113-02), F₁(TOM-810 × BPX-443E-03-02-113-02), F₁(TOM-808 × TOM-717), F₁(TOM-808 × TOM-757), and F₁(TOM-810 × TOM-717) were the most resistant to the mite, exhibiting higher female mortality, reduced oviposition, and no nymph emergence observed. The genotypes F₁(TOM-808 × TOM-667), F₁(TOM-808 × TOM-717), F₁(TOM-810 × TOM-615), and several lines, which exhibited reduced oviposition and foliar damage. The results of the bioassays indicated that high acylsugar content reduced oviposition and foliar damage of the tested pests. The hybrid F₁(TOM-808 × TOM-717) is the most promising at this stage of the breeding program, as it shows resistance to both tested pests.